Meirionnydd Management Catchment Summary Date Contents 1. Background to the management catchment summary .................................................... 3 2. The Meirionnydd Management Catchment ...................................................................... 4 3. Current Status of the water environment ......................................................................... 8 4. The main challenges ...................................................................................................... 10 5. Objectives and measures .............................................................................................. 12 6. Water Watch Wales ....................................................................................................... 21 Page 2 of 22 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk 1. Background to the management catchment summary This management catchment summary supports the 2015 updated Western Wales River Basin Management Plan (RBMP). Along with detailed information on the Water Watch Wales (WWW) website, this summary will help to inform and support delivery of local environmental improvements to our groundwater, rivers, lakes, estuaries and coasts. Information on WWW can be found in Section 6. Natural Resources Wales has adopted the ecosystem approach from catchment to coast. This means being more joined up in how we manage the environment and its natural resources to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits for a healthier, more resilient Wales. It means considering the environment as a whole, so that all those with an interest in the catchment weigh up the evidence and set priorities for the many competing demands on our natural resources in a more integrated way and achieve our shared ambition for the place. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) provides a major overarching framework for river basin management. The Floods Directive sets out a strategic approach to flood risk management planning. An updated Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP) has been produced in parallel to the 2015 updated Western Wales RBMP Summary. The FRMP details how we propose to manage flood risk across the river basin district by prioritising those communities that are most at risk of flooding and detailing the measures we intend to take to manage their risk. The FRMP and the RBMP together will shape important decisions, direct investment and action, and deliver significant benefits to society and the environment. Page 3 of 22 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk 2. The Meirionnydd Management Catchment Figure 1. Meirionnydd Management Catchment map Page 4 of 22 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Agriculture and forestry are the predominant land uses in the Meirionnydd management catchment which extends from Borth on the southwest coast to southern end of Llyn Trawsfynydd. The area covers the catchments of the Dyfi and the Mawddach, as well as the mountain range of Cadair Idris and a long coastal strip extending south from Harlech. There are large areas of forestry in the Dyfi valley and to the north of Dolgellau, however elsewhere agriculture dominates, predominantly sheep farming in the upland areas. The area has a rich history in mining activity dating back to Roman times and abandoned metal mines give rise to elevated metal concentrations in parts of the catchment. Much of the Meirionnydd catchment area lies within Snowdonia National Park. Wales’ only UNESCO biosphere area is in the Dyfi Valley. In the Dyfi biosphere, communities work to balance the conservation of biodiversity with sustainable use of the area. There are several EU bathing waters in this catchment and shellfish beds in the Dyfi and Mawddach estuaries. Tourism is of great economic importance to the area and provides diverse leisure opportunities to enjoy the coastline, mountains and estuaries. There are also many coastal, estuarine and inland sites designated for conservation and biodiversity purposes. In anticipation of the Environment Act, NRW undertook 3 area based trials in the Rhondda, Tawe and Dyfi between 2014 -16. The key learning from the trials has been captured. This learning has been important in framing the discussions as the Environment Bill was scrutinised, in developing the guidance underpinning the Act and in helping to prepare NRW for the requirements of the Act. The Dyfi is also one of three areas in Wales where we have been trialling an approach to natural resource planning/management. The purpose of the trials was to work with local stakeholders in determining how natural resources are best used and managed and to inform how we might develop Area Statements. A key element of this is understanding what roles our environment plays in supporting wider society. Our aim is to ensure that our environment is used sustainably, whilst at the same time we are responding to local needs, delivering benefits for people and business. In January 2014 a Meirionnydd management catchment workshop was held at Coed Y Brenin Visitor Centre near Dolgellau. During this event the benefits of the catchment were captured. These included: High landscape value - from the wild character of the uplands in the Rhinogs to the coastal scenery. Tourism and recreation - safe beaches, range of recreation opportunities throughout catchment, though further scope to enhance recreation access to woodland and water. Forests and woodlands - for their ecological richness e.g. Meirionnydd oakwoods but also for timber production, wood fuel, recreation and jobs. The potential impact of tree diseases on the landscape was also noted. Biodiversity - salmonids, pearl mussels, coastal dune, woodland, riverine and upland habitats and species, reflected in SAC and SSSI designations Rural communities - farming for sheep and beef, Welsh language, local tradition and enterprise. Natural Resources Wales continues to work in partnership with a range of partners and sectors in innovative ways so that we can achieve even more together. A flavour of some of the projects that have been delivered within this management catchment over the last 3 years together with projects in development are included below: For further information on projects please refer to WWW. Page 5 of 22 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Table 1. Partnership projects in the management catchment Project Name Project Description Partners Funding sources Map & eradicate In the Mawddach catchment Prince Albert Angling Society WFD Third invasive weeds. members of the Prince Albert Sector Angling Society worked to Organisations tackle invasive plant species (TSO) Fund and restore streamside habitat. Dyfi Living Rivers On the Nant Gwydol & Dulas Montgomeryshire Wildlife WFD TSO Project South Rivers partners worked Trust, New Dovey Fishery Fund together to restore river Association, National Farmers catchments. Union of Wales. Page 6 of 22 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Case study - Prince Albert Angling Society (PAAS) - Mapping & Eradicating Japanese knotweed & Himalayan balsam on the Hengwrt Estate Working in partnership with NRW - PAAS successfully obtained funding to ‘Map and Eradicate Invasive Weeds’ on Hengwrt Estate waters on Afon Mawddach & Afon Wnion in May 2012. The funding was used for training volunteers and to purchase equipment to carry out the work. Future plans include continuing work on the Hengwrt Estate (constant difficulties with window of opportunity e.g. time of year, weather, river conditions & tides), and extending it further to other PAAS waters within Meirionnydd. There is a continual threat from surrounding areas that are untreated and the anglers are well aware that a whole catchment approach is required. They are in touch with others in the area e.g. NRW work to clear Japanese knotweed as part of the Dolgellau flood alleviation scheme and have linked in with Snowdonia National Park’s “Snowdonia Japanese Knotweed Project” which could provide wider coordination for mapping and a future management strategy in the national park. 2.1 Key facts1 We use the term water bodies to help understand and manage the water environment. A water body is part, or the whole, of a river, lake, ground water or coastal water. The number and type of water bodies in the management catchment is shown in the table below. Table 2. Number and types of water bodies Number of water bodies Natural Artificial Heavily Modified Total River* 46 0 8 54 1 There are differences in water bodies and protected area numbers compared to the first cycle plans and second cycle plans. This is due to changes in the water body network as well as refinement of the mapping methodologies and rules between water bodies, management catchments and protected areas. Page 7 of 22 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Lake 6 0 5 11 Coastal 1 0 0 1 Estuarine 3 0 1 4 Groundwater 1 0 0 1 Total 57 0 14 71 *River water bodies includes canals and surface water transfers There are areas in the catchment where the water environment is recognised as being of particular importance, including rare wildlife habitats, bathing waters or areas around drinking water sources. These areas are known collectively as protected areas and are detailed in the table below. Table 3. Number and type of protected area Protected Area Number Bathing Waters 8 Drinking Water Protected Areas 9 Natura 2000 and Ramsar sites 14 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones 0ha Shellfish Waters 2 Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 0 - Sensitive areas 3. Current Status of the water environment We assess the condition of water bodies through monitoring which produces an overall classification. The current